Road-map exhibitor.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

H. METGALFE. ROAD MAP EXHIBITOR.

APPLIOATION FILED 00128, 1905.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY other end, as in Fig. 2.

HENRY METCALFE, OF CSLD SPRING, NEW YORK.

ROAD-MAP EXHIBITOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed October 28,1905. Serial No. 284,806.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY METOALFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cold Spring, in the county of Putnam and State of New- York, have invented a certain new and useful Road-Hap Exhibitor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobiles, and has for its object a convenient means for carrying and displaying road-maps therein.

The object is attained by the means set forth in the specification and the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents an automobile with the road-map exhibitor attached. Fig. 2 is a front view of the exhibitor. Fig. 3 is an end view of the exhibitor. Fig. 4 is a view of the inner side of one of the heads of the device. Fig. 5 shows a means of supporting the exhibitor. Fig. 6 is an end view of the device with the head removed, showing the internal adjustment of the maps. Fig. 7 represents a bracket-support for the exhibitor. Fig. 8 is a front and partly-sectional view of Fig. 7.

The exhibitor 0. consists of a tube m, Fig. 2, made of thin transparent celluloid, inside of which a road map or maps may be coiled the maps being visible through the substance of the tube, the ends of the tube provided with suitable heads, a binding and supporting rod through the heads, and means for supporting the device on the dash or front board I) of the automobile, as in Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 7. It may of course be used on other vehicles, but it is designed more particularly for automobiles, since touring is largely confined to that class of vehicles.

In the construction of the exhibitor the transparent tube m, preferably of celluloid as a material not easily breakable, is provided with heads 6, Figs. 2 and 4, at both ends, a portion of the heads being reduced, as at f, to enter the ends of the tube, the resulting flanges on the heads having the same diameter as the outside of the tube, so that when the heads are in place the appearance of the completed cylinder is as shown at the lefthand end of Fig. 2. The heads are also preferably made. of celluloid. A rod g, *igs. 2, 3, 5, is passed through the cylinder from head to head, one end of the rod having a fixed head (1 with a wing-nut 'i u on the One of the may be made fast in the tube, and one is brackets c.

made removable for convenience, the wingnut being placednext to the removable head.

A map rolled to lie within the cylinder, as 1), Fig. 6, is caused to uncoil within the cylinder and lie against the inner face of the cylinder by means of a spring 8 s. This spring by preference may be a sheet of celluloid normally coiled to a larger diameter than the cylinder, so that when placed with in the cylinder it will expand, as shown in Fig. 6, forcing the map and holding it against the inner periphery of the cylinder. The map will show clearly through the cylinder, as in Fig. 2, p re resenting the printed side of the map, 1) t e inner side of the map. For clearness the spring 8 is not shown in Fig. 2.

The cylinder, is not limited to carrying a single map. Two are shown in Fig. 6, and several are placed one within the other the outer one will lie all the closer to the cylinder. It affords a clean, dry, and safe receptacle for the maps whether the cylinder is on or ofi of the vehicle. The form of the s ring 8 in the figure is purposely exaggerated as to its irregularity to show that it is not essential for it to be a close fit within the cylinder.

To support the exhibitor so it may be convenient for the observation of the driver of a vehicle, hooks or hangers, as c 0, Figs. 1, 3, and 5, are secured to the dash or front board I) in the manner shown in the said figures, although the front board may constitute the back of a seat in place of the back of a casing covering mechanism of the machine like that in Fig. 1. The hangers are curved to conform to the shape of the cylinder, having some spring to them, so as to grasp the cylinder with suflicient tightness to prevent the cylinder being shaken from its place and from turning too easily, yet admitting of the cylinder being turned so as to bring to view such parts of the map as may be required. A hanger near each end, as in Figs. 1 and 3, is sufficient. The hangers may be permanently secured in lace, as at h h, Fig. 5, or they may be held by removable screws with wing-nuts, as at h Z, Fig. 3.

Another means of sup orting the cylinder is shown in Figs. 7 an 8. Studs n, with shoulder-nuts n, are secured in the heads. The stud in the fixed head is rovided with a Wing-nut i, by means of which the cylinder eads e is held in a desired position between the The removablehead will be kept in place by having the shoulders n fit closely between the brackets. These different means of sup orting the cylinder are shown so as not to imit the invention in the means of attaching it to a vehicle.

This exhibitor aifords perfect protection to maps within it from dust, dirt, and water, while affording easy facility for observing the map at any time when on a journey in any Weather.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A map-exhibitor for automobiles comprising a transparent tube, heads in the end of the tube one of said heads being removable, means for securing the removable head, a map within the tube, a spring within the map, and hangers for supporting the exhibitor in the vehicle.

2. In combination with the front board of a. vehicle, a map-exhibitor comprising a transparent tube with a fixed head in one end and .a removable head in the other end,

means for securing the removable head, a map within the tube, a spring within the I ma and means for attachmg the exhibitor to t e said front board, said means admitting of the revolving of the exhibitor.

3. In combination with the front board of a vehicle, a map-exhibitor comprising a transparent tube with a fixed head in one end of the tube, a removable head in the other end, a rod through the head with a removable nut on one end, a spring within the tube, and means for attaching the exhibitor to the said front board, said means admitting of the revolving of the exhibitor.

Signed at Cold Spring, in the county of Putnam and. State of day of October, A. D. 1905.

HENRY METCALFE.

Witnesses:

LoYALn FARRAGUT, JOHN M. LowRY.

New York, this 14th 40 

